A third generation Helensburgh veteran has described the relegation of veterans' affairs to the outer ministry as akin to being seated at the kids' table while other issues are debated in the federal cabinet.
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"The Minister for Veterans' Affairs appears to be a genuine and well respected individual who appears to be quite capable of developing strategies, but I've likened him to a kid at the folding card table at Christmas eating chicken nuggets, while the rest are having turkey, ham and trimmings," Neil Warnock said.
Mr Warnock has launched a petition with over 10,000 signatures to elevate veterans' affairs back into cabinet as the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicides finds an unacceptable backlog of Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) claims.
In its interim report handed down last Thursday, the Royal Commission found that 42,000 claims were outstanding and Commissioner Nick Kaldas said this was taking a significant toll on veterans.
"We know that the long wait to receive entitlements can have a terrible effect on veterans' mental health and in some cases leads to suicide and suicidality," he said.
"Behind each claim is a veteran who needs support, and it is gravely important that this assistance is provided as quickly as possible - lives and livelihoods depend on it."
Mr Warnock has seen first hand what impact this delay has.
With a father in the Royal Australian Air Force, who served during World War Two, and a grandfather in the Australian Imperial Force who served in World War One, Mr Warnock said he always knew he would serve his country.
"I was always mindful that I would probably end up in a full-time military career," he said.
After enlisting in the Army Reserve in university, Mr Warnock transferred to the regular army.
As an engineer, Mr Warnock assisted in the logistics and planning that contributed to major operations, the first being Operation Safe Haven, which involved the evacuation of thousands of Kosovar refugees to Australia in 1999. Mr Warnock also contributed to Operation Outreach, the military's contribution to the Northern Territory Intervention.
In 2008, Warnock was deployed to Iraq, where he provided logistic advice as US general Petraeus sought to enable Iraqi self-reliance.
After that tour, Warnock returned to the Middle East, this time being deployed to Afghanistan, working from the Australian headquarters. It was there that Mr Warnock says he suffered significant workplace bullying.
Overseeing a team of 20, Mr Warnock said he had to bear the brunt of his direct supervisor's management style which constituted workplace bullying over a period of three and a half months.
"That made for a very, very distressing work environment."
On his return to Australia, Mr Warnock worked in a variety of roles in the military but was medically discharged in 2013 after being diagnosed with a mental health condition as a result of the bullying he experienced on deployment to Afghanistan.
At the time, Mr Warnock said he was able to access support through DVA, but has watched as services deteriorate significantly since, particularly since a cabinet reshuffle in 2016 which saw veterans' affairs demoted to the outer ministry.
Then-Veterans' Affairs Minister Darren Chester was promoted to Cabinet in 2020.
When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took office, he demoted the veterans' affairs portfolio to the outer ministry.
Veterans bodies hit out at Labor's new cabinet, however Veterans Affairs Minister Matt Keogh said veterans were being heard.
"The Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel portfolios sit within the broader Defence portfolio, which means they are not just represented by the Defence Minister, but by Richard Marles, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet, which demonstrates the high regard our Government has for this portfolio," he said.
"Minister Marles and I are both very clear about making sure veterans are strongly represented."
Mr Warnock says support from the Department has become more akin to a workers' compensation scheme, rather than reflecting the unique sacrifices that military personnel make.
For example, Mr Warnock is no longer able to work in the field of engineering, which he is qualified in, due to his condition, and instead has chosen to pursue training as a nurse. Mr Warnock said this has not been supported because the Department presumes he can work in the field that he is already qualified in.
"Veterans' Affairs have become a de facto workers compensation insurer, rather than a body, department or function that looks after the welfare of veterans, inclusive of benefits, and various provisions," Mr Warnock said.
In its interim report, the Royal Commission found the compensation and rehabilitation legislation was needlessly complex.
"Australia's veteran compensation and rehabilitation legislative system is so complicated that it adversely affects the mental health of some veterans and can be a contributing factor to suicidality," the report notes.
The problem had been identified in previous reports, with the Productivity Commission recommending legislative simplification and harmonisation in 2019. The then-Minister, Darren Chester, said the report was the most significant report during his time as Minister, but little action followed.
"We consider that the failure of the government of the day to respond meaningfully to the Productivity Commission's recommendations and to simplify and harmonise the legislation amounted to a dereliction of its duty to Australian veterans," the Commissioners write.
Mr Keogh said constrained resourcing and a significant increase in claims led to the blow out in unprocessed claims.
"We've made a commitment to employ 500 additional staff for the Department so we can get through this claims backlog," he said.
Mr Keogh also said the Department will reduce its reliance on labour hire staff and update IT practices to improve efficiency. The government will provide a response to the interim recommendations of the Royal Commission shortly.
While Mr Warnock noted there has been some improvement, particularly in the recognition of the seriousness of mental health conditions in addition to physical conditions, yet there had been a narrowing of support to veterans who had not yet retired to focusing on finding employment.
"It's about understanding that the nature of service, what has been rendered in terms of service, goes beyond just work," he said.
"What was the psychosocial effect on suspending family activity for the purpose of deployment? What was the psychosocial effect of being in an organisation that has a level of control over your activities beyond your workday? They're the sorts of things that need to be well understood if it's going to be more than a de facto workers' compensation insurance."
To answer these questions, Mr Warnock says the Albanese government needs to ensure that veterans have a seat at the highest table.
NEED HELP?
Open Arms is a service founded by Vietnam Veterans which is now available for all veterans and their families. Phone: 1800 011 046, 24 hours
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